The most entertaining press releases come from the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. They’re satirical, informative, eye-opening, and right to the point. They contain in-your-face responses to those who denigrate the Church in today’s society.

Several times recently, the League’s president, Bill Donohue, has pointed out that because it’s Lent, secular forces will summon up all their viciousness and launch broadside attacks against the Church. The most egregious example was the Discovery Channel’s airing of James Cameron’s “Lost Tomb of Jesus,” timed to coincide with the beginning of Lent.

Despite all the scholarship which minimalizes the show’s contention that it has located the tomb of Jesus, bones and all, the show went on, and a book was published, even though it contained not one footnote to provide any evidence for its case.

Filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici says that France, which he calls a “Catholic country,” was remarkably open to his theory of having located the remains of Jesus.
To which, Donohue replied, “Historian Alain Besancon estimates that there are more Muslims than practicing Catholics in France. And that was seven years ago. So why shouldn’t secular France be open to these dumb ideas?”

That’s vintage Donohue.

Last week, the Catholic League scored a big victory when plans to display a six-foot tall chocolate sculpture of Jesus crucified during Holy Week had to be cancelled. The Roger Smith Hotel in Manhattan was to be the site but Donohue’s call for a boycott of the hotel was enough to change their plans.

Donohue had said, “The Roger Smith Hotel is morally bankrupt. It is the goal of the Catholic League to make it financially bankrupt as well… The Roger Smith Hotel will rue the day it sought to declare war on Christian sensibilities.”

Easter Bunny Banned

One more from the Catholic League. In Rhode Island, William Rearick, the Schools Superintendent of the Tiverton Public Schools, has banned the Easter Bunny from appearing at a fundraising event because it is called the “Easter” bunny. The Superintendent offered Peter Rabbit as a substitute. He also banned the word “Easter” from all school events.

He explains himself by saying that he only recently became “more aware of folks who don’t have a Christian background” in his schools.

Donohue responded, “I am astonished that (he) recently discovered Jews and Muslims. But better late than never. However, it was not a Jew or a Muslim who complained about the Easter Bunny – it was an ex-Catholic.”

After sticking the superintendent, Donohue then twists his dagger a bit more, “It is unconscionable that in this day and age Superintendent Rearick would choose to honor a thief. As every schoolchild knows, Peter Rabbit stole from Mr. McGregor’s garden. To now hold him up as a role model to impressionable youngsters sends the wrong signal.”

During this most glorious time of the year, it seems foolish to dwell on these never-ending attacks on our beliefs. This is a time for celebrating the victory of Christ over sin and death. But we mention them here because we do not want them to go unnoticed or unanswered. Catholics and all denominations of Christians are very much a part of this society and we do not take lightly to being excluded by public edict.

The Core Belief

Easter is the feast of the core of our beliefs. Without Easter, our faith makes no sense. The glory of the Resurrection gives us hope and a reason to believe that this life is merely a dim reflection of the life to come. We seek to share this joy with others so that they may believe in the beauty and the sanctity of life.

On Easter Sunday, after we have relived the suffering and death of Jesus’ Passion, let us reflect on the images of Resurrection that we see all around us. A child is ill and recovers. The frozen earth gives birth to purple and white croci. The sun rises. A couple reconciles. A drinker goes another day without imbibing. A smoker kicks the habit. A cancer is removed. A new job appears out of nowhere. A visa is granted. A critic is silenced.

We are renewed. We find reasons for living. We believe that things will get better. We have experienced the Resurrected Jesus.

When writing letters to the editor, please send them to ewilkinson@thetablet.org.
Items for Around the Diocese should be emailed to sgutierrez@thetablet.org.
Items for Tablettalk can be addressed to lbusetti@thetablet.org.
Items for the youth page should go to megiossi@thetablet.org.